Digital to analog converters (DACs=Digital to Analog Converters) may be used as modulators (e.g. as polar modulators for AM signals or as vector modulators for IQ signals). Modulators applied to transmitters of mobile communication devices serve the purpose to transfer a digital baseband signal (e.g. a data signal or audio signal) via a carrier to the base station of the communication network. In detail, the baseband signal is modulated onto the carrier, which may, for example, have a frequency of 1.8 or 2.1 MHz (depending on the network standard, cf. LTE or UMTS), such that the radio frequency output by the modulator of the transmitter complies with the frequency of the carrier and comprises the content of the baseband signal.
The group of currently used high-frequency DAC (mixers) can be broken down into a first subgroup of modulators configured to modulate a polar signal to a carrier and into a second subgroup of modulators configured to modulate an IQ signal to the carrier. Furthermore, the singular modulator types differ regarding its bandwidth, its efficiency (current consumption) and regarding additional features like MIMO capability (Multiple Input, Multiple Output). Currently, none of the known modulator types conjuncts a high signal bandwidth, a low current consumption and MIMO capability. Therefore, there is a need for an improved approach.